Three Kansas Jayhawks Who Must Rise Up vs Duke in Champions Classic

The No. 25 Kansas Jayhawks and No. 4 Duke Blue Devils are set to face off in the annual Champions Classic this evening. For the fifth time in the event's history, these two blue blood schools will face off, this time in Madison Square Garden in New York City in front of a neutral-site crowd.

This matchup would typically be huge between two of the greatest powerhouses in college basketball, but the Jayhawks will likely be without freshman phenom Darryn Peterson for the contest.

Given that Duke is one of the best teams in the country, and KU has looked shaky even with Peterson on the court, there isn't much hope surrounding Kansas right now.

Regardless, these three players will need to produce a lot more than they are usually expected to against Duke for Kansas to have a chance to win.

Three Kansas Jayhawks Who Must Rise Up vs Duke

3. Bryson Tiller

Coming off his first-ever collegiate start, Tiller has quickly earned the trust of Bill Self and his coaching staff and will need to keep playing at a high level today.

The 6-foot-11, 240-pound big man was one of the Jayhawks' lone bright spots in the loss to UNC, as he knocked down four 3-pointers in the first half and was a major factor before fouling out later on.

While Tiller's scoring doesn't typically only come from the perimeter, he is currently shooting 7-for-11 from beyond the arc this year and has been one of Kansas' few consistent offensive threats.

Assuming Peterson is out again, Tiller should draw another start, and he brings a lot of different aspects to KU's offense. He is a stretch big who can space the floor and will make defenses pay if they leave him open.

2. Melvin Council Jr.

Council has been underperforming offensively through his first few games as a Jayhawk, but that is exactly why he needs to step up his game heading into tonight. The St. Bonaventure transfer has struggled from the field, shooting 35.3% overall and missing all nine of his 3-point attempts.

Against UNC, Council shot just 2-for-11 from the field, and he started off last week's game against Princeton by missing his first five shot attempts.

Council has shown an ability to score at the Division I level before, averaging 14.6 points in the Atlantic 10 last year, but his 3-point struggles have become recognized by other teams. He is starting to be left wide open from the 3-point line, which severely impacts KU's offensive sets in the half-court.

Not only will Council have to perform his normal duties as a playmaker and defender, but it would also be encouraging if he could knock down a 3-pointer or two to force the defense to guard him.

1. Flory Bidunga

Bidunga has been Kansas' biggest offensive threat with Peterson off the court, making it imperative that he has a big game. He has already set his career high in points twice this year, eclipsing his 23-point performance against Green Bay with a 25-point showing against Princeton on Saturday.

His game is usually limited to dunks and other opportunities in the paint, but he has excelled in that aspect so far. He is even knocking down free throws at a higher clip, shooting 83.3% compared to last year's 53.3%.

While Bidunga still has a long way to go as an offensive player, he will need to clean up second-chance opportunities and be effective with his back to the basket.

Realistically, the Jayhawks will need at least 15 points from Bidunga to have a shot tonight.